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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: row · kick · stand · scale · toast · wind · bound · wax

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. row — to paddle
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — certain
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. row — a line
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. scale — in music
  14. scale — size or range
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. wind — moving air
  17. kick — in football
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — to grow
  21. toast — bread
  22. wind — moving air
  23. stand — to bear
  24. toast — the most admired

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com